Fin's Dilemma
by HuddyJoy0524
Summary: Fin really likes Melinda and doesn't have the courage to ask her out. My first S.V.U. fanfic! Please R&R and let me know I'm not the only Melinda/Fin shipper out there...


Fin's Dilemma

"Hey! Elliot!" Olivia Benson motioned for her partner. He frowned and walked over to her desk.

"What's the problem?"

"Do you think Fin has been acting strange lately? He's been kind of…"

"Withdrawn." Elliot finished her sentence, sighed, and nodded. "I didn't want to say anything because I thought you'd think I was…"

"Overreacting." Olivia finished Elliot's sentence.

Elliot chuckled. "If we read each other's minds you would think more would get done around here."

Olivia grinned and then frowned again as she noticed Fin fidgeting with some stuff on his desk. "It just worries me. Normally he is so relaxed you know? Cool. But what if it's none of our business? I don't want to intrude in his personal life."

Elliot pursed his lips as he noticed Fin put his head in his hands and then proceed to sit straight up again as if thinking about something urgent. "Maybe one of us should talk to Munch. If there's a problem with Fin's son…"

"But they still aren't speaking," Olivia interrupted. "And when have you known Fin to talk to Munch about anything? Normally he comes to one of us. Maybe we should just talk to him directly. Ask him if he needs anything."

"Okay. That's probably the only way we'll get him to say anything."

They were interrupted by Captain Cragen. "Benson, Stabler, Tutuola, Munch! We've got a case. Let's go!"

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"The victim is a female, looks to be in her late teens. She was sexually assaulted, and then shot in the head." Melinda Warner, the medical examiner, was leaning over the dead body of a blonde girl. She pulled back her hair to reveal a bullet wound. "She was shot point blank."

"Is the cartridge still around?" Munch looked around on the ground.

"We've had teams searching. I think that it was picked up." Elliot leaned over the body. "She was young."

"Well I'm going to need to check out other parts of the body at the lab for sperm. It's also possible that she was assaulted by more than one person."

"What?" Olivia looked at Melinda with a shocked expression on her face.

"This girl was a member of a gym club." Melinda pulled out a card from her purse. "And she was also a black belt. I doubt that one guy alone could have taken her down."

There was a pause. Everyone looked at one another.

"Where's Fin?" Elliot questioned and he exchanged a glance with Olivia.

"He's with Cragen." Munch pointed nonchalantly over at Fin a good yard away, engrossed in a discussion with Cragen.

"He's normally all over this stuff," Melinda raised an eyebrow, surprised and glanced in his direction. "Is everything okay with him? He's been acting weird lately."

"We've noticed," Olivia also glanced in his direction.

"Well he hasn't said anything to me," Munch interjected. "I'm sure he's fine. Fin's a big boy."

Melinda snorted and looked down. Only Olivia heard her, as she was standing right next to Melinda. She looked questioningly at Melinda before turning back to her partner. "I think we might need to get this straightened out."

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"The female has been identified as a Renee Walker, eighteen years old. She attended Southside high school," Cragen put up the photo on the case board next to one of the smiling girl with her dog. "She was SGA President, did community service, and was an active member at her gym club and a black belt in karate."

"Sounds like the perfect student. Who would have it in for her?" Munch crossed his arms and examined the pictures.

"Could be a jealous friend or boyfriend," Fin added. "We all know how crazy teenagers can be."

Elliot looked over at Fin, surprised to hear him speak after so long. "Could be. Could also have been a perv who went to the gym with her. From the looks of her muscles she went to the gym daily and I doubt she always brought a friend."

"Okay. Elliot and Olivia you go check out the gym. Munch and Fin I want you to talk to the family…" Cragen began.

"We've got a problem." Melinda walked into the room.

Elliot, Olivia, and Munch followed Melinda out of the room, but Olivia stopped and turned to Fin. "Fin? Are you coming?"

Fin looked very nervous all of a sudden. "I think I'm going to sit this one out. Let me know what you see I'll stay up here." Munch, Olivia, and Elliot all exchanged a quick glance and followed Melinda down the steps to the morgue.

"He's normally all over this too," Melinda muttered bitterly as she continued down the steps. Elliot heard her and turned to Olivia who had apparently heard nothing. He bit his lip, but kept quiet.

"I found semen all over her body." Melinda turned on the black light and pointed out the body to her colleagues. "Not only is there semen in her genital area but also all over her stomach, her breasts, her hair…"

Olivia made a face. "He ejaculated all over her."

"Them. You mean." Melinda's face got very stern and she turned the regular lights back on. "I had the semen samples tested and it appears that she was raped by at least three different men possibly more."

"Oh my gosh." Elliot shook her head in disgust.

"We should update Fin and Cragen…" Munch and Elliot started to walk away.

"Olivia," Melinda touched her arm. "Will you let me know what's wrong with Fin if you find out?" Her face was very concerned and her normal air of sternness had disappeared.

"Yeah," Olivia said reassuringly. "I will."

Olivia caught up to Munch and Elliot. "I think it's time we had a little talk with Fin."

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Elliot and Fin were in the car on the way to the Martial Arts Academy that Renee had attended. "So…has everything been okay with you lately?"

"Yeah. Why?" Fin glanced at Elliot suspiciously before turning back to the road.

"I don't know you've just been acting…a little weird." Elliot glanced over at Fin and then turned his eyes back to the road. "Olivia's really concerned about you."

"Yeah, right. Concerned about me. You all just want to be up in my business," Fin crossed his arms and looked out the window.

"Well actually…yeah." Elliot sighed. "We're your friends and if something is bothering you we want to help. But we can't help if you don't tell us."

Fin continued to sit still with his arms crossed and said nothing.

"Alright man but if you…."

"You couldn't help anyway man," Fin uncrossed his arms. "I'm just an ugly old man."

"Whoa whoa whoa Fin!" Elliot looked over at his friend. "No you're not! Where did you get an idea like that?!"

"Nowhere," Fin said a little dejectedly. "Just forget it. It's not a big deal," he crossed his arms again and looked back out the window.

"Look Fin, I…"

"Just drop it okay?" Fin was not in the mood to argue.

Elliot sighed and decided not to pursue it.

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Elliot yawned and sat back in his chair.

"El." Olivia leaned on her desk and stared at her partner. "I know it's late but we have to get this done."

"I know it's just…Eli has been keeping me up the past couple nights. He's got a cold." Elliot sighed and looked back down at his papers. "Fin! You got anything new from Renee's computer?"

"Nothing," Fin threw a stack of papers down on the desk and closed the computer. "She doesn't even appear to be on the internet that much. No porno sites, no internet chat rooms, nothing!"

"Well, keep looking there's gotta be something!" Olivia massaged her temples and stood up. "Do you want me to make another pot of coffee?"

"Actually I could use some coffee," Munch interjected.

Olivia nodded, got up, and walked into the office nearly running into Melinda.

"Oh! Sorry." Olivia squeezed by to the coffee machine. "Are you staying all night too?"

"I think so." Melinda yawned. "I need to wait for those lab tests to come in, this case is really bugging me."

"Yeah me too. Here we can show you what we've found." Olivia brought her back out and over to Fin's desk. "Fin, can you show Melinda all that you've found so far?"

Fin looked up at Olivia and Melinda and froze.

Olivia frowned. "Ummmm….Fin? Melinda wants to help out do you think that you can show her?"

Fin gulped and looked down. "Uhhh…sure…well…it…" He continued to stumble over his words and Olivia, shocked, looked back at Elliot who seemed as shocked as her.

"It's fine, I'll look at it myself," Melinda grabbed the computer and walked over to an empty desk.

Elliot and Olivia continued to stare at Fin, dumbfounded at his sudden lack of vocabulary. He always had something to say and suddenly…nothing?

Olivia walked back over to Elliot's desk and leaned against it. "What is going on???" She whispered.

Elliot merely shook his head and looked at Fin again who was fiddling around with his things.

"You know what I'm going to work from home," Fin stood up and grabbed his things. "I'll see you all in the morning." He walked out of the room and slammed the door behind him.

Olivia and Elliot flinched and Munch grimaced. Only Melinda seemed unscathed, typing away at Renee's computer.

"What the hell is going on in here?!" Cragen stormed out of his office.

"Fin seemed a bit upset, he's left for the night," Munch said from across the room.

"Why the hell did he leave?! We've got work to do."

"He appeared to be at a loss for words," Melinda said smugly looking up from the computer. "That doesn't seem to happen much." She immediately glanced back down at the computer.

"He said he'll work from home Captain," Elliot interjected. "I wouldn't worry too much about it."

Cragen shook his head angrily and stormed back into his office.

Olivia leaned in closer to her partner and whispered "I think we've got a problem Elliot."

Elliot pursed his lips and glanced over at Melinda. "I think I see the problem too."

"Well could someone fill me in cuz I'm lost." Elliot and Olivia both jumped at the sound of Munch's voice, who had walked into their little discussion unnoticed.

"Fin always disappears when Melinda is around…" Olivia started

"At a loss for words when asked to converse with her…" Elliot added.

"So he's got the hots for her. You're point?" Munch concluded.

The three glanced over at Melinda who was either ignoring them or couldn't hear them speaking.

"Fin isn't scared of anything, he must really like her," Olivia said. "It's kind of sweet actually."

"Only you would think so Liv," El said, somewhat jokingly. "I'll try and talk to him."

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Fin got to work, late, the next day and didn't appear to have slept. Olivia and Munch exchanged a look and walked into Cragen's office.

"So….Fin…why don't you just tell her how you feel?" Elliot abruptly said.

Fin frowned and looked over at Elliot who had a twinkle in his eye. "I don't know what you're talking about man."

Elliot got up and walked over to Fin's desk. "It's obvious you like her. Why don't you just ask her out?"

"Oh come on Elliot you know I don't like Olivia that way."

Elliot burst out laughing and Fin gave him a strange look. "What?"

"Nice try. Not Olivia, Melinda."

Fin looked away quickly and said nothing.

"Oh come on! You have to take a chance!" Elliot said, a little exasperated now.

"No!" Fin shook his head and still refused to look at Elliot. "She's intimidating man! Have you talked to her recently? The woman knows what she wants. She don't want an old man like me."

Elliot felt sorry for his friend. "Look Fin don't be so hard on yourself. Pretty women are intimidating! I remember the first time I got up the guts to ask Kathy out I…"

"You don't get it!" Fin stood up and faced him. "What part of intimidating don't you understand? I'm talking personality! She is beautiful, intelligent, and she don't take nobody's crap. She could shut up any one of y'all in an instant. What if I ask her out and she laughs in my face?" Fin sat down heavily and looked away again. "Just leave me alone."

"Fin this isn't like you! You're the tough one around here everyone knows you've been acting funny even Melinda! If you keep ignoring her she's gonna figure it out eventually."

"What?" Fin looked desperate.

"You said she was smart. Don't underestimate her."

Elliot walked away and sat back down at his desk. Almost on cue Olivia and Munch walked back into the room looking at a file.

"Don't you think I don't know you all are in on this." Fin added grumpily to his colleagues who proceeded to shrug and act innocent.

Fin stood up and looked over at Elliot who motioned to the door downstairs. Fin took a deep breath and Elliot sucked in his chest at his friend (who looked a little dizzy) and then walked out of the room.

"Is he going to talk to her?"

"What did he say?"

"Does he really like her?"

"How old does he think he is?"

Olivia and Munch immediately began pumping Elliot with questions. He raised a hand. "You'll see."

Cragen walked back into the room. "Where did Fin go?"

"Uhhh….down to the medical examiner's," Munch said matter-o-factly.

"Thank God. Finally." Cragen stalked back into his office to the wide eyed stares of the others.

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"Ummmm….Melinda can I talk to you for a second?" Fin stood awkwardly in the doorway. Melinda was standing next to a man with a clipboard and writing stuff down.

"Make it quick. I've got a lot of work to do." She barely looked up at him and continued to write down on her clipboard.

"Actually I need to talk to you in private," Fin said a little unassured of himself.

"Okay." Melinda shooed her colleagues out of the room, took off her gloves, and put her hands on her hips. "Alright shoot."

Fin wiped his sweaty hands on his pants and swallowed a couple of times. "I umm….." He gulped and tried it again. "Well you….see…" He continued to stutter and Melinda rolled her eyes. "You know… you've been acting weird lately" she said closing the awkward silence.

Fin took a deep breath. "I know."

"Well it's kind of worrying me you haven't been yourself." Some of Melinda's stern exterior disappeared and she took a step towards Fin. His heart began racing and he had to wipe his hands on his pants again.

"Really? You've been worried?"

"Well…yeah. Normally you are really into the whole dead body thing," Melinda smiled a little. "And you've been disappearing whenever I'm around."

"Well it's because I like you." It was out of Fin's mouth before he could stop it.

Melinda's face turned from one of slight amusement to amazement. "You like…me?"

"Yeah." Fin shrugged. "Well now that that's off my chest…" He turned to walk away.

"Wait!" Melinda called. Fin turned back around. "You've been acting strange because you like… me?" She still seemed amazed.

"Yeah." Fin shrugged again.

Melinda flushed a little bit and hurriedly distracted herself with the clipboard but Fin noticed and it gave him a little bit more confidence. "I was gonna ask you out ona date."

Again, Melinda looked a little surprised but a little bit happy about it too. "Really?"

"Yeah." The awkwardness returned. "Do you wanna go on a date with me?"

Melinda bit her lip and looked down. "Well it wouldn't really be professional…"

"It's fine I get it I understand." Fin turned and walked away before Melinda could respond. Upset, he walked back upstairs and to his desk where his anxious colleagues could read his emotions all over his face. Olivia sighed, Elliot pursed his lips, and Munch uttered a little "damn" before they went back to their desks.

A couple of seconds later Melinda emerged from the landing and walked over to Fin's desk. "Actually, Fin, I was thinking maybe why not?"

Fin looked up, raised his eyebrows. "Really?

"Yeah." Melinda smiled.

Fin grinned. "Great. How about Friday?"

"I'm free. See you then." She walked away and waved a little flirtatiously (well….as flirtatious as Melinda Warner could get) and walked back to her office.

Olivia grinned and turned to Fin. "See? Told you it'd work out."

Munch and Fin air fived and Elliot sat back in his chair. "I coached him well."

"Right." Olivia snickered and Elliot made a face.

Fin smugly crossed his arms. "I could have done that without your help."

"Right." Elliot repeated and they all burst out laughing.


End file.
